Arts & Music

This Weekend's Top Five Events

Jan. 22, 23 & 24

Definitely don't go out and have fun this weekend. Definitely don't attend any of the super fun events listed below!

Diesel Dudes, Toner, OVVN, and Casual Hex
If you go to a Diesel Dudes show, you can expect to see lots of tighty-whities, leather, and sweat. The Oakland electro-punk group’s live performances have a reputation for their absurdist displays of masculinity. But while it’s tempting to call Diesel Dudes’ hyperbolic aesthetic parody, it ultimately comes off as sincere — albeit completely bizarre. The band members are disciples of EBM (or electronic body music), a style of dark, synth-driven punk that became popular in Europe in the Eighties. Rife with pulsating, danceable beats, EBM emphasizes that listening to music is a physical experience. Diesel Dudes tap into this theme with allusions to muscles and pumping iron, with tracks such as “Body Clench” and “Thrusts Per Minute.” On January 23 the band performs at Sgraffito Gallery with Oakland bands OVVN and Toner, as well as Casual Hex, which is on tour from Seattle. — Nastia Voynovskaya
Sat., Jan. 23, 7 p.m. $TBA.

S.B.S.M., The Noriegas, The Fathers, and O)x_3y3
As a fundraiser for Berkeley Liberation Radio on 104.1 FM, which purports to be “the East Bay’s premiere anti-FCC airwave savior,” One Fam in West Oakland is hosting a show with several excellent dark, noisy local bands that are also involved in DIY radio production. S.B.S.M., an Oakland trio that juxtaposes thunderous beats with abrasive vocals, eerie synths, and digital glitches, will perform at the event. The group hosts the weekly radio show Scream Queens on the station. It takes place every Wednesday from 10 p.m. to midnight and features other local bands with a penchant for stark, austere sonic palettes. The Noriegas, The Fathers, and O)x_3y3 will be joining S.B.S.M. on the bill, and proceeds from the show will go to covering Berkeley Liberation Radio’s rent and other operational costs. — N. V.
Sat., Jan. 23, 8 p.m. $5. OneFam.org

A Poetry Reading with Nellie Wong
Nellie Wong was born in Oakland Chinatown to Chinese immigrants. She worked at her family’s restaurant and graduated from Oakland High School. In the 1970’s, as a student at San Francisco State University, she began publishing her poetry, which speaks to race, sex, and class discrimination. Now, she is a well-recognized feminist poet, and recently released her fourth book of poetry, entitled Breakfast Lunch Dinner. Wong will be at Liminal, a feminist writing space in Oakland (3037 38th Ave.), on January 23 at 3 p.m. to read from her latest release and discuss the intersection of art, politics, and feminism. She will be joined by performance artist and writer Jezebel Delilah X, who is also co-managing editor of Everyday Feminism, co-host of the queer feminist open mic Culture Fuck, and on the board of popular blog Black Girl Dangerous. — S. B.
Sat., Jan. 23, 3 p.m. $11.24–$21.49. TheLiminalCenter.com

Pop-Up Ping-Pong Party
Linda Jacobson and Lauren Hewitt believe in the restorative healing power and brain-healthy benefits of Ping-Pong. They’re hoping to spread those benefits in a series of free pop-up Ping-Pong parties throughout the East Bay, the first of which will be held at Rhythmix Cultural Works (2513 Blanding Ave., in Alameda) on Sunday. The duo is also scouting locations in Oakland to open up the very first PaddleSnap Urban Resort. Based on renderings and the information provided on the group’s website, the resort will be a lounge of sorts, equipped with ping-pong tables and couches, with “nutritious nibbles, brews, and beverages.” Jacobson said she’s hoping to move into a space by the end of 2016 but said they’re still looking for investors to finance the endeavor. Jacobson said that right now, she and Hewitt are personally funding the future resort’s development, including buying the ping-pong tables for the pop-up parties. So far, however, the public response to the pop-ups has been overwhelming, Jacobson said. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Visit Rhythmix.org for a link to the event page. — Erin Baldassari
Sun., Jan. 24, 1-3 p.m. Free; RSVP required. Rhythmix.org

Courtesy of the artist.

Collaborations between John Casey and Marcos LaFarga.

Hands and Pants 6
John Casey has a signature style of illustration. His wiry black lines twist into contour drawings that form disproportionate figures. And within his body of work, there are a few characteristics that are particularly recognizable — namely, hands and pants. But Casey has decided to share those elements. For his ongoing project, “Hands and Pants,” he draws versions of hands and pants on otherwise blank paper, then distributes them to his artistic peers. And every once in a while, he puts the newest ones into an exhibition. Hands and Pants 6, currently on view at Faultline Art Space (815 High St., Oakland) through February 27, includes more than one hundred of those collaborations. Participating artists include Deth P. Sun, David Polka, Lucien Shapiro, Lexa Walsh, Marcos LaFarga, Ryan De La Hoz, and Max Kauffman. The result is a wild range of riffs on Casey’s work that collectively symbolize his artistic community. It’s also a really fun show, and each piece is only $150. — S. B.
Through Feb. 27, 12-5 p.m. 510-536-6133. HandsAndPants.com

If your pockets are feelin' light and you're still yearning for more suggestions, we've got a ton, and these ones are all FREE!We're Hungry: Got any East Bay news, events, video, or miscellany we should know about? Feed us at Sarah.Burke@EastBayExpress.com.